Wiring boxes currently provide a mounting for electrical outlets, electrical switches, computer network outlets, optical outlets, cable television outlets, and the like. The boxes are typically made of a hollow plastic or metal, and are polygonal (e.g., rectangular or square). These boxes typically insert into a drywall and can attach to a wall stud, and a box typically contains one or more holes for entry of a cable.
There have been many developments directed to improving the energy efficiency of commercial and residential developments including minimizing heat transfer and the infiltration and exfiltration of air into and out of wiring boxes. Examples of attempts to reduce airflow include an after market gasket available for attaching to the reverse side of the cover plate, insulation of the walls of a wiring box, utilizing foam around wires after the wiring has been passed into the box; a neoprene strip to cover around the holes of the box. Some of the issues faced by these designs, however include: once sealant is inserted into a box, the foam is difficult to work around when additional cables or components need to be changed out; failure to eliminate air flow adjacent to the wires entering through the box; reliance upon the discretion of the wiring installer in determining the size of perforations in the neoprene, leaving significant room for installer error; and/or the system is relatively labor intensive.
There remains a need for further improvements to mitigate air transfer at a point of connection between a cable and a hole in a wiring box, while providing for ease of manufacturing, installation, and effectiveness in accommodating cables of various sizes.